12 Stones
NEPAL, USA | Directed by Sandy Smolan | Running time: 22 minutes
A beautiful and evocative film about the remarkable transformation of a group of illiterate women in southern Nepal. A beautiful and evocative film about the remarkable transformation of a group of illiterate women in southern Nepal.

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #5

The 40th Door  (40 - ci Qapi)
AZERBAIJAN | Directed by Elchin Musaoglu | Running time: 82 minutes
Friday, March 19 | 11:50 AM - Past Screening
Sunday, March 21 | 9:45 PM - Past Screening

There is an Azerbaijani fairy tale about a princess who must be saved from a house with 40 doors. Of all those who seek entry, no one is ever able to open the 40th door, and so the house's secret remains hidden. Fourteen-year-old Rustam is a gentle boy who lives in a tiny place near the Azerbaijan capital of Baku called "40th... There is an Azerbaijani fairy tale about a princess who must be saved from a house with 40 doors. Of all those who seek entry, no one is ever able to open the 40th door, and so the house's secret remains hidden. Fourteen-year-old Rustam is a gentle boy who lives in a tiny place near the Azerbaijan capital of Baku called "40th Door." His father has been murdered by the Russian mafia, and he is left to try to find work and to take care of his widowed mother. Desperately, he tries to avoid selling the one possession they have of value, his father's worn old carpet. Rustam goes into the city to seek his fortune, and while he's there discovers many things that are new, including gangs of street kids and an enterprising petty thief who befriends him. Most wonderful of all is a school of music that Rustam inadvertently stumbles into, filling him with a fervent wish to become a drummer. Told in an unassuming, cinéma-vérité style by veteran documentary filmmaker Elchin Musaoglu, THE 40TH DOOR opens a window onto the difficulties of growing up in Azerbaijan. (In Azeri with subtitles) — B.B.

7:57 AM-PM
FRANCE | Directed by Simon Lelouch | Running time: 11 minutes


This film is part of French Shorts Program

8: The Mormon Proposition
USA | Directed by Reed Cowan | Running time: 74 minutes
Tuesday, March 23 | 12:15 PM - Past Screening
Wednesday, March 24 | 7:00 PM - Past Screening with FilmForum.

All Spencer Jones and Tyler Barrick wanted to do was get married. And when California voters passed a law allowing same-sex marriage, they did just that. But Spencer and Tyler aren’t just a gay married couple; they’re Mormon. 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION painstakingly details how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter... All Spencer Jones and Tyler Barrick wanted to do was get married. And when California voters passed a law allowing same-sex marriage, they did just that. But Spencer and Tyler aren’t just a gay married couple; they’re Mormon. 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION painstakingly details how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, fueled by money and fanned by religious fervor, waged a successful battle in November 2008 to reverse California’s same-sex marriage law. Everyone – same-sex couples, Mormon Church leaders, and Utah politicians – gets a chance to make their case for or against Prop 8, and the result is an emotionally charged, behind-the-scenes look at how a powerful religious organization used manipulation and its authority to influence the outcome of a controversial political issue. — C.K.<br /> <br />

9000 Needles
USA, CHINA | Directed by Doug Dearth | Running time: 83 minutes
Friday, March 19 | 9:20 PM - Past Screening
Saturday, March 20 | 9:40 AM - Past Screening
Sunday, March 21 | 11:10 AM - Past Screening with FilmForum.

One morning Devin Dearth went to the gym to work out, just like he did every morning. A few hours later he suffered a bleed in his brain stem — a stroke that is often fatal. After three weeks in an intensive care unit and 100 days in a rehabilitation center, his care is terminated due to insurance maximums. Even the doctor... One morning Devin Dearth went to the gym to work out, just like he did every morning. A few hours later he suffered a bleed in his brain stem — a stroke that is often fatal. After three weeks in an intensive care unit and 100 days in a rehabilitation center, his care is terminated due to insurance maximums. Even the doctor admits that patient goals are often driven by insurance coverage and an uninsured stay for in-patient care will cost $100,000-$150,000 per month for Devin. Formally a body builder and fitness freak, the condition Devin faces is unacceptable; not just to him, but also to his brother Doug (the film's director) who goes searching online to find other, more affordable treatment options. He discovers a Chinese stroke rehabilitation program based out of the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin at the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Following a series of fundraisers, Devin, wife Stacey, and Doug head to China to begin the treatment. After the first day of acupuncture treatments and medicinal herbal baths, he sees more improvement than in many weeks of treatment in the United States. The integration of eastern techniques, including the use of 9,157 acupuncture needles, and western techniques seems to be the ticket. 9,000 NEEDLES is a personal, riveting, and moving story of a family’s powerful love and healing, and one man’s journey back from the brink. — C.C.P.

9500 Liberty
USA | Directed by Eric Byler, Annabel Park | Running time: 82 minutes
Friday, March 19 | 2:40 PM - Past Screening
Saturday, March 20 | 4:25 PM - Past Screening with FilmForum.
Sunday, March 21 | 9:35 PM - Past Screening

In 2007 Manassas, Virginia served as the flashpoint of an exceptionally contentious battle between longtime residents of the community and the growing population of new residents — immigrants. A relatively quiet town outside of Washington, D.C., it has grown exponentially in recent decades. Dissatisfied with the situation,... In 2007 Manassas, Virginia served as the flashpoint of an exceptionally contentious battle between longtime residents of the community and the growing population of new residents — immigrants. A relatively quiet town outside of Washington, D.C., it has grown exponentially in recent decades. Dissatisfied with the situation, charismatic Greg Letiecq started a blog spouting venomous rhetoric about the immigration population in Prince William County and his commentary led to the formation of Help Save Manassas, a group set on creating an intolerable existence for immigrants. Their target: the local government. Their goal: the passage of the Prince William County Immigration Resolution, requiring police to check anyone with “probable cause” to determine whether or not he or she is an illegal alien. But how do you judge probable cause? And how do you train police officers to judge without racial profiling? As the resistance movement grows, the use of YouTube videos and virtual town halls become critical platforms for counter argument. 9500 LIBERTY depicts a completely unique kind of documentary format, incorporating new media and new venues. It is a compelling story, a microcosm of what is happening in other parts of the United States, depicting one group living in hate; another living in fear. (In English and Spanish with subtitles) — C.C.P.

Accident  (Yi Ngoi)
HONG KONG, CHINA | Directed by Soi Cheang | Running time: 89 minutes
Friday, March 19 | 9:40 PM - Past Screening
Sunday, March 21 | 4:30 PM - Past Screening

Hong Kong director Soi Cheang attained cult status with his nightmarish sagas “Dog Bite Dog” and “Shamo.” His latest thriller breaks through the conventional genre, with no guns or car chases despite its elaborate action sequences. Instead, ACCIDENT is a psychological brain-twister that plumbs the depths... Hong Kong director Soi Cheang attained cult status with his nightmarish sagas “Dog Bite Dog” and “Shamo.” His latest thriller breaks through the conventional genre, with no guns or car chases despite its elaborate action sequences. Instead, ACCIDENT is a psychological brain-twister that plumbs the depths of a killer’s soul. The Brain is a self-styled “accident choreographer” who leads a band of cerebral hit men in taking out targets in well-crafted “accidents” that are actually perfectly staged acts of crime. Plagued with guilt, the Brain is naturally suspicious, and his paranoia grows after his wife and one of the gang are killed in spectacular accidents. Convinced that they’re no coincidence, he thinks someone is plotting to terminate him. When he’s accosted by Fong, an insurance agent who happened to be at the scene of the “accident,” the Brain becomes sure that he’s the mastermind behind the conspiracy. To regain his sanity and save his life, he must kill Fong before he makes his next move. Cheang consulted college professors — not the Hong Kong underworld — to help him devise feasible accidents for the movie. No matter how he calculated it, this trip is worth the ride. (In Cantonese with subtitles) — B.B.

The Action Hero's Guide to Saving Lives
USA | Directed by Justin Lutsky | Running time: 15 minutes
When lives are on the line... When there's danger at every turn... When clichés run amuck... Sometimes the best thing to do is call Mulligan! Ace Mulligan! No matter how villainous the madman... How numerous the henchmen... How sexy the damsel, one thing is for sure: Ace Mulligan will always come out on top. Sometimes. Starring... When lives are on the line... When there's danger at every turn... When clichés run amuck... Sometimes the best thing to do is call Mulligan! Ace Mulligan! No matter how villainous the madman... How numerous the henchmen... How sexy the damsel, one thing is for sure: Ace Mulligan will always come out on top. Sometimes. Starring Patrick Warburton (Seinfeld, The Tick, Men In Black II, Rules of Engagement), The Action Heros Guide To Saving Lives is a laugh-out-loud action-comedy that takes you behind the scenes of Ace Mulligan's perilous and not-always-successful mission to stop the bad guys, get the girl, and save the day. Its not always easy being an action hero.

This film is part of Midnight Shorts Program #1

Adrift  (Choi Voi)
VIETNAM | Directed by Bui Thac Chuyen | Running time: 110 minutes
Monday, March 22 | 11:45 AM - Past Screening
Tuesday, March 23 | 9:25 PM - Past Screening

Summertime in Hanoi is sticky and languid. There’s a quivering sense of expectation in the air, and movement seems to slow down to a deliberate pace. ADRIFT in this delicately beautiful city are a handful of young people with unfulfilled longings. Duyen and Hai are newlyweds. Hai, a baby-faced taxi driver who’s coddled... Summertime in Hanoi is sticky and languid. There’s a quivering sense of expectation in the air, and movement seems to slow down to a deliberate pace. ADRIFT in this delicately beautiful city are a handful of young people with unfulfilled longings. Duyen and Hai are newlyweds. Hai, a baby-faced taxi driver who’s coddled by his mama, is sexually unsophisticated; his radiant bride Duyen is happy to simply float along, not expecting much from her husband or herself. Her best girlfriend Cam, a brooding novelist who harbors a secret longing for Duyen, has become physically ill at the thought of her beloved’s marriage. Cam introduces Duyen to Tho, a rough, sensual, handsome man who begins to awaken a desire in Duyen she never knew existed. Duyen agrees to travel to the beach with Tho; and while she’s gone, Hai befriends a local girl with longings of her own. These new relationships unfold like lotus flowers, each laying bare new emotions. ADRIFT is as quiet and introspective as a still-life painting until the heavens break open, releasing the welcome rains of the typhoon season and offering the characters new perspectives on life. (In Vietnamese with subtitles) — B.B.

After Tomorrow
UNITED KINGDOM | Directed by Emma Sullivan | Running time: 15 minutes
Returning to the village of his estranged wife, James grows increasingly concerned when the sinister owner of the guest house refuses to let him leave. A psychological suspense with a surprising yet moving denouement. Returning to the village of his estranged wife, James grows increasingly concerned when the sinister owner of the guest house refuses to let him leave. A psychological suspense with a surprising yet moving denouement.

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #5

Alive!  (Gjallë!)
ALBANIA, AUSTRIA, FRANCE | Directed by Artan Minarolli | Running time: 90 minutes
Wednesday, March 24 | 9:45 PM - Past Screening
Saturday, March 27 | 9:15 AM - Past Screening
Sunday, March 28 | 1:40 PM - Past Screening

Koli is a handsome university student who hails from a poor village. He seems to have it all, including a modern place in Tirana and an attentive girlfriend. Suddenly, his family calls him home for his father’s funeral. While he’s still grieving over this unexpected death, Koli’s relatives reveal some news that... Koli is a handsome university student who hails from a poor village. He seems to have it all, including a modern place in Tirana and an attentive girlfriend. Suddenly, his family calls him home for his father’s funeral. While he’s still grieving over this unexpected death, Koli’s relatives reveal some news that makes his blood run cold: his family has been embroiled for decades in an archaic blood feud with another clan. With his father buried, Koli is the head of his family, and his enemies will seek revenge for a murder committed by his grandfather 60 years ago. The shocked student refuses to take the situation seriously, but warning shots soon convince him he needs to arm himself. Koli escapes to Tirana from this backwater in an attempt to regain control of his life, but his fate seems not to lie in his own hands. ALIVE! is harshly critical of the blood feuds that have returned to rural Albania since the fall of Communism, effectively placing more than 20,000 men and boys under an ever-present sentence of death. (In Albanian with subtitles) — B.B. <br /> <br />

All of Us
USA | Directed by Emily Abt | Running time: 82 minutes
Saturday, March 20 | 11:40 AM - Past Screening

Dr. Mehret Mandefro is a woman on a mission. An Ethiopian-American in the last year of her medical residency at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, she’s made it her life’s work to empower young, heterosexual, African-American women — the group statistically most likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS. Convinced... Dr. Mehret Mandefro is a woman on a mission. An Ethiopian-American in the last year of her medical residency at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, she’s made it her life’s work to empower young, heterosexual, African-American women — the group statistically most likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS. Convinced that the reasons for the epidemic include women’s lack of emotional control in their relationships and the ineffectiveness of sexual education programs taught in schools, Dr. Mehret embarks on a program of personal outreach. After working long hours at the hospital, she treks to the apartments of her patients, inquiring about their emotional health, asking them about their relationships, and reminding them they need to be able to say “no.” She also travels to Ethiopia to pioneer an Ethiopian-American HIV/AIDS prevention project. One intriguing aspect of ALL OF US (originally screened at the 32nd CIFF) is Mehret’s candid musings on her own romantic relationship, with its inherent joys and frustrations. When she lets her hair down, steps out of her doctor’s role, and confesses her own weaknesses, this brilliant doctor sounds just like one of us. — B.B.

Alma
SPAIN, USA | Directed by Rodrigo Blass | Running time: 6 minutes
Alma, a little girl, skips through the snow-covered streets of a small town. Her attention is caught by a strange doll in an antique toy shop window. Alma, a little girl, skips through the snow-covered streets of a small town. Her attention is caught by a strange doll in an antique toy shop window.

This film is part of Spanish Shorts Program

Amoklove
GERMANY | Directed by Julia Kaiser | Running time: 9 minutes
A magical moment between two people in the subway, but then it is all over and they will never see each other again — wrong! Fabian fights for his love and chases Marie through Stuttgart. That is AMOKLOVE: a declaration of love during a cardiac recess. A magical moment between two people in the subway, but then it is all over and they will never see each other again — wrong! Fabian fights for his love and chases Marie through Stuttgart. That is AMOKLOVE: a declaration of love during a cardiac recess.

This film is part of German Shorts Program

Ana's Playground
USA | Directed by Eric D. Howell | Running time: 18 minutes
ANA'S PLAYGROUND depicts just another day for children surrounded by armed conflict. When Ana is forced into a sniper zone to retrieve a soccer ball, she finds herself in a game of cat-and-mouse with a mysterious shooter. As their interaction comes to a head, she and her friends make the ultimate decision, showing that a moment of... ANA'S PLAYGROUND depicts just another day for children surrounded by armed conflict. When Ana is forced into a sniper zone to retrieve a soccer ball, she finds herself in a game of cat-and-mouse with a mysterious shooter. As their interaction comes to a head, she and her friends make the ultimate decision, showing that a moment of humanity can quickly be lost in an environment of war and violence.

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #4

The Ape  (Apan)
SWEDEN | Directed by Jesper Ganslandt | Running time: 81 minutes
Friday, March 19 | 10:00 PM - Past Screening
Saturday, March 20 | 2:15 PM - Past Screening

Krister wakes up one morning on his bathroom floor, covered in blood. Dazed and confused, he washes up and makes his way to his job as a driving instructor. As his day unfolds, his nerves begin to unravel. Though he seems to become gradually more distressed, he retains a poker-faced, almost desperately calm demeanor. Director Jesper... Krister wakes up one morning on his bathroom floor, covered in blood. Dazed and confused, he washes up and makes his way to his job as a driving instructor. As his day unfolds, his nerves begin to unravel. Though he seems to become gradually more distressed, he retains a poker-faced, almost desperately calm demeanor. Director Jesper Ganslandt’s camera remains tightly focused on Krister’s balding head, his bluetooth permanently attached, as he struggles to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Is Krister a criminal? Is he delusional? Perhaps he’s nothing more than a murderous animal, an ape. Or could he be the prototype of an arrogant modern man, half human, half machine? In the course of shooting THE APE, actor Olle Sarri was led from scene to scene with no background information to help him understand his character. Thus director Ganslandt takes the viewer on an unusual journey, asking each of us to piece together our own meaning of the information provided. It’s the story of a series of untidy events — just like in real life. (In Swedish with subtitles) — B.B.

Ape Trouble
USA | Directed by Scott Dikkers | Running time: 6 minutes
Gorillas have it rough. At a very young age Billy the Gorilla is snatched from his mother and placed inside the Taylor-Cornelius Primate Research Center for testing and education. Upon his release into the cold and bitter city, he finds that there is one lesson his lab-coated schoolmasters neglected to teach him. Gorillas have it rough. At a very young age Billy the Gorilla is snatched from his mother and placed inside the Taylor-Cornelius Primate Research Center for testing and education. Upon his release into the cold and bitter city, he finds that there is one lesson his lab-coated schoolmasters neglected to teach him.

This film is part of Family Shorts Program #2

Aphrodite's Farm
NEW ZEALAND | Directed by Adam Strange | Running time: 15 minutes
Blood may be thicker than water, but what about milk? Blood may be thicker than water, but what about milk?

This film is part of Midnight Shorts Program #1

Applause  (Applaus)
DENMARK | Directed by Martin Pieter Zandvliet | Running time: 85 minutes
Friday, March 19 | 9:50 PM - Past Screening
Monday, March 22 | 4:35 PM - Past Screening
Wednesday, March 24 | 9:20 AM - Past Screening

Emerging from rehab because of her alcoholism, actress Thea Barfoed (Paprika Steen of “The Substitute” — 32nd CIFF) has a lot to deal with in APPLAUSE. Having divorced her husband Christian and relinquished custody of her children during her heavy drinking days, Thea wants to start over. The promise of... Emerging from rehab because of her alcoholism, actress Thea Barfoed (Paprika Steen of “The Substitute” — 32nd CIFF) has a lot to deal with in APPLAUSE. Having divorced her husband Christian and relinquished custody of her children during her heavy drinking days, Thea wants to start over. The promise of this new beginning seems bleak, given that her past of drinking and violence haunts her still, making the likelihood of a fresh start seem impossible. What she wants most of all is to get her children back, but Christian and his new wife are skeptical. Between her family problems and her demanding stage career, the pressure is intense. Ultimately, Thea must resolve the ghosts of her past in order to realize the dream of being a mother to her sons again. She must prove that, despite her history, she is capable of change. Her manipulative charisma endures as she persuades Christian to give her another chance. While her new found sobriety hangs in the balance, Thea must confront her inner turmoil to meet her goal. (In Danish with subtitles) — B.K.

The Athlete  (Atletu)
ETHIOPIA, USA | Directed by Davey Frankel, Rasselas Lakew | Running time: 93 minutes
Wednesday, March 24 | 5:00 PM - Past Screening
Friday, March 26 | 9:45 PM - Past Screening

Abebe Bikila is on a journey, traversing the great nation of Ethiopia in his Volkswagen Beetle. He is THE ATHLETE — the heroic winner of two Olympic gold medals for marathon running (1960 in Rome and 1964 in Tokyo). Of strong character and superhuman endurance, Bikila spent his youth running on Ethiopia’s Abyssinian... Abebe Bikila is on a journey, traversing the great nation of Ethiopia in his Volkswagen Beetle. He is THE ATHLETE — the heroic winner of two Olympic gold medals for marathon running (1960 in Rome and 1964 in Tokyo). Of strong character and superhuman endurance, Bikila spent his youth running on Ethiopia’s Abyssinian plateau, following Mussolini’s takeover. His 1960 victory in Rome was doubly sensational — not only was it the first gold medal won by an African athlete, but also he ran the marathon barefoot. After Ethiopians had suffered so much under the Italians, his triumph at the Coliseum caused jubilation. But now, in 1969, Bikila loses concentration and crashes his car. Tragically, the accident leaves him a paraplegic. Still, his perseverance never wanes and he soldiers on to compete internationally as an archer and a dog-sled musher. Abebe Bikila’s quiet dignity became a symbol of hope for a continent struggling for self-determination. The saying goes: "It took 500,000 Italian soldiers to occupy Ethiopia, but just one Ethiopian soldier to conquer Rome." (In English and Amharic with subtitles) — B.B.